Free Web NovelChapter 52: Find A Way II
A stunned silence met my pronouncement. Blaise blinked slowly, and I could see him struggle to understand my words.
"You want to... challenge Damon to ritual combat," Blaise repeated incredulously, his voice going high and thin at the end. It was no wonder, of course, since I had basically said the equivalent of dueling the Moon Goddess herself.
Since the dawn of time, most werewolf packs had a tradition of ritual combat that often ended in one gory finale, namely the death of the loser and their decapitated head mounted on top of the spikes decorating the territory borders to warn any would-be dissenters.
As such, most packs, for the sake of preserving the lives of their precious packmates, had done away with the need for death― something I was grateful for. If they hadn’t, I would be dead before I even arrived in Fangborne.
Normally, a formal ritual combat requires two parties to agree to the terms of the challenge.
Back then when I was still the human runt of Stormclaw, I still harbored fantasies of beating my tormentors and winning the respect of the pack. I gladly accepted the challenges they threw at me, hoping that my inner wolf would show up in the nick of time and prove that I was a worthy successor to my father, Stormclaw’s alpha.
Of course, my hopes and dreams were ruthlessly crushed by reality as I was humiliated time and time again in public, my body littered with grievous wounds. Every challenge ended in a painful jaunt in the dungeons, and soon I stopped accepting formal challenges.
That didn’t stop my bullies from picking on me though. But just like how Fangborne was an entire league of its own as an elite pack with long traditions, I was sure that Fangborne had a suitably creative punishment for their losers, assuming Damon didn’t rip them from limb to limb.
"Harper, that’s just insane, you don’t know what you’re saying," Blaise said, his eyes widening in shock. He grabbed my arms, his fingers digging into my soft skin that covered my tiny muscles. His entire hand easily wrapped around the circumference of my bicep, further highlighting the differences in stature.
Damon’s arms were even bigger than his brother’s. That thought floated into both our minds simultaneously, and a pained look crossed Blaise’s face before he relaxed.
"Then again, do let me know when you’re going to tell him. I want to see the look on his face," Blaise said, his tone lighter than before. "Knowing my brother, he’s never going to accept such a ludicrous challenge. I bet my brother would laugh his head off before launching me to the borders with his own feet."
"There’s only one way to find out," I said determinedly. I pulled away from Blaise and stormed out of the room, only for an enticing scent to hit my nostrils before my eyes even registered the peculiar sight. freeweɓnøvel.com
It was Damon, who was skulking around outside like an alley cat. It was hard to tell who was more startled that we stumbled upon each other.
My earlier bravado vanished like morning dew under the sun as my eyes roved all over his imposing figure. Clad in a simple black compression shirt and pants, his musculature was on prominent display. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to reveal his impressive forearms, veins cording through thick muscle that could easily snap my neck in two.
’I want to challenge you for the right to accompany Blaise.’ That was all I needed to say.
However, the words dried up in my throat. I could barely even part my lips, much less speak.
"What are you doing here?" Damon demanded, sounding strangely peevish. freewebnøvel.coɱ
"Blaise’s room is here. Where else would I be?" I retorted.
Damon’s eyes darted to somewhere above my right; Blaise had followed me out. He probably sensed Damon’s noxious overbearing presence from inside the room. Sensing my irritation, Blaise gently rested a hand on the small of my back, wordlessly comforting me.
"Damon, what a surprise to see you here," Blaise chirped cheerfully to his brother. "I’m still packing, so please don’t send me away with nothing but the skin on my back. I’m good at surviving, but not that good."
Damon scoffed, his nostrils flaring as he most likely caught our intermingled scents. "And I’m sure there were no distractions. Blaise, have you forgotten where your loyalties lie?"
"Even if there were distractions, it’s still none of your business," I growled out, narrowing my eyes at Damon’s haughty expression. "Speaking of Blaise’s mission, I have a request to make."
"Shut up then," Damon said boredly, purposely jabbing a finger into his ear. "If you are being this polite to me, it must be nothing good."
Oh. That was it. This man was going down, and I didn’t care what I had to do to end him.
"Damon Valentine, I, Harper Gray, challenge you in ritual combat for the right to accompany Blaise’s mission!"
Damon threw his head back and howled with laughter so loud it reverberated through his body, and said laughter echoed throughout the packhouse, attracting the attention of the other wolves. From behind, I heard Blaise sigh with resignation and wry amusement.
"I don’t know what I expected," he murmured in my ear, and I swatted him away irritably, glaring hotly at Damon’s laughing figure.
He was nearly bowing over from the weight of his laughter. He had always been a handsome man, the same way Blaise was, and such mocking joy accentuated the sharp features of his face, refining them into a masterpiece worthy of a museum.
Unfortunately, all I felt was increasing distaste and hatred as I stood there in front of him until he had finally stopped.
"Ritual combat?" Damon finally said, echoing my words. He sighed, wiping away a tear that had leaked from his eyes due to the intensity of his laughter. "Little rabbit, you can barely even lift a rock that’s half your weight. You won’t be able to win even the weakest pack member in an arm wrestle, much less ritual combat with an alpha."
I frowned, my face quickly turning red― not out of embarrassment but of anger.
"Blaise isn’t going to the borders for a holiday," Damon said. "And even if he was, there is no way you will be able to win me in combat. Not now, not in a hundred years. So why don’t you just give it up and stay put as commanded?"
